I don’t know about you, but I didn’t expect the results of the presidential election to be known so quickly. I had prepped myself for recounts and lawsuits.
So I was reeling when I woke up to a new president-elect on Wednesday.
I’ve never considered myself a “political” person. I’ve always voted who I thought would serve best…be it on a local, state, or national level. And I always base my decision on lessons I’ve learned throughout my 56 trips around the sun.
Professionally, I’ve been in the world of education, staffing, nonprofit programming, and it always comes down to doing what’s best for the people. Not what’s best for me and my point of view. What’s best for the people.
In the classroom, I must adjust lessons continuously to meet the needs of various students. I must communicate with families to understand the whole child.
In the staffing business, I go to the companies to see first-hand what it is like and to talk about the needs they have in a new employee so I can recruit properly.
In the nonprofit, I visit group homes to meet with caregivers, loved ones, case managers, and doctors to know how to best support the individuals enrolled in job training.
In both my work and general life experiences as a daughter, sister, wife, mom and friend, several truths show up repeatedly:
1 – You get the best results when you lift people up. Making a student, employee, or participant (any person!) feel less than stops growth.
2- You get the best results when you are a bridge-builder. Focusing on the differences makes the job/life harder and ignores the countless commonalities we all have.
3 – You get the best results when you stand in a position of power with people, not over people. When I work with my class, my team, the people I’m in relationship with, we stay on track far better than when I flex my “power over” muscle.
We have so many modern-day teachers in the religious/spiritual, business and social sciences world who echo these thoughts. If you are curious, investigate the work of Fr. Richard Rohr, Eckhart Tolle, Henri Nouwen, Joan Chittester, Brene Brown, Simon Sinek, Adam Grant, Mamie Kanfer-Stewart, Patty Jackson, Tricia Hersey, Carolyn Leaf, Abby Wambach, and Tara Brach…just to name a few.
And it’s not just big names telling us about this. We can see it in the actions of our neighbors every day. The person that lets you in the lane on the highway, the person who chats in the grocery line, the connection you make with another dog walker.
What scares me is that as a nation we overwhelmingly chose a person who leads through putting others down, exaggerating divisions, and having power over others. Not to mention the fact that he is a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist.
Right now I’m feeling like a teacher who gave her kids an assessment and found out they didn’t understand as much as she thought they did. I thought the class understood the ramifications, but they didn’t. I’m feeling disappointed and frustrated. I’m feeling like I should have said more. I should have done more.
This has made me learn a big lesson.
I need to speak out. I can’t bite my tongue because I don’t want to offend someone. All of my professional work has involved education in some respect. And now I feel called to educate about these simple, human lessons.
I will speak my truth. AND I will listen to yours with an open mind. I’d love to talk (not message back and forth but have an actual conversation) with you. Whether or not you feel as I do. Especially if you disagree with me. I’m coming from a place of curiosity and trying to understand.
I choose growth mindset. I choose love.
I am grateful for so many little and big things, one of which is this country. And we need to work together to help us last long into the future as a leader of the free world.
Take care of yourself. Eat well; move often; rest.
May America be blessed!
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